TOKYO, April 1 - Dr. Dale Klein, the former chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission who now chairs TEPCO's Nuclear Reform Monitoring Committee, told the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan here yesterday that despite his recent criticism of TEPCO's communications lapse, he is optimistic that the company will prevail in its cleanup at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

His remarks came the day after he chaired a meeting of the Monitoring Committee, where he and other committee members mixed praise for TEPCO's overall progress with admonitions that its communications with the public must continue to improve. The Committee is overseeing an independent review of the belated disclosure of the fact that contaminated drainage water had reached the sea.

Noting that "encouraging TEPCO to be transparent and to communicate more effectively was a focus of my own efforts on the committee," he said "clearly there was a failure in this effort." He pledged to make the public report of the review, which is being led by committee member and former prosecutor Masafumi Sakurai, and that "the review will follow the facts wherever they lead."

Progress at Fukushima, KK

Still, Klein said, progress both at Fukushima and at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant, for which TEPCO has sought government permission to restart, has been significant.

At Fukushima, he said, progress in removing the spent fuel from Unit 4 was notable for the safe method in which it was accomplished, even as some critics said it couldn't be done. The more complicated removal of formerly molten fuel debris in Units 1, 2, and 3 will be challenging, he said, but he expressed optimism that the technology with which to accomplish it will be within the reach of Japan's extensive experience with robotics.

Water at the Fukushima site will remain a challenge, he said, but the accumulation of contaminated water has been reduced by about 100 tons per day, and enhancements in water treatment now mean that the treated water can be safely discharged into the ocean, though he acknowledged this is an emotionally difficult decision for Japan to make.

At KK, he said, massive improvements to the seawall and other aspects of the facility are moving TEPCO toward accomplishing its goal of making the facility "not only the largest, but also the safest nuclear plant in the world."

Speaking to the correspondents, Klein noted the media's role in scrutinizing both TEPCO and the government. As a former regulatory official, he said, "I can tell you that it isn't always fun to be on the receiving end" of that scrutiny, but it is indispensable.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to be asked to play a role in helping TEPCO and Japan recover from March 11," Klein said. "I know that, in the long run, TEPCO, Japan and its people will meet the many challenges ahead, and prevail."

About TEPCO
Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. (TEPCO) is Japan's largest power company, supplying energy to the greater Kanto area, including Japan's two most populous cities, Tokyo and Yokohama. Its 34,000 employees are committed to providing safe, reliable power to its 29.0 million customers, diversifying energy resources to ensure sustainability, and contributing to economic growth while fully meeting its responsibilities after the Fukushima Daiichi accident.
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